Dimming apparatus



l- 1929- V w. E. MCLAUGHLIN ,7

DIMMING APPARATUS Filed 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l5 Jrwenlob VV/LLIAM E. M lnuquuw,

6, 1929- w. E. MCLAUGHLIN 1,723,745

DIMMING APPARATUS File Nov- 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. MCLAUGHLIN, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARKELEW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DIMMING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 25, 1925. Serial No. 71,309.

My invention relates to a dimming apparatus and, in particular, to an apparatus to be installed on cars employing two filament bulbs or separate dimming bulbs without a resistance.

It is the object of my invention to provide a switch which may be applied to existin cars or which Inay be originally applie on automobiles as factory equipment which may be used on cars which do not have a resistance in their main switch or elsewhere but which employ for dimming purposes bulbs with two filaments or two separate bulbs.

It is a further object to provide a switch and wiring which can be readily attached to the existing electrical equipment of a car and which can be operated by the foot of the operator, as his hands are already fully employed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the switch installed on a floor board with the floor board and cover of the switch shown in section, the side walls of the cover being removed;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the switch showing the cover elevated to permit of access to the switch;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the switch button and associated mechanism in depressed position;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the switch mechanism;

Figure 7 is a perspective of the switch plunger and contact members;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 2; I

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram showing the switch on the dash board of a car in position to burn the lights brightly with the operating plunger of the dimming switch up, at which time the lights are bright;

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the dimming switch in depressed position and 50 the lights dim;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9 save that the night lights are normally dim because the switch on the dash board is thrown into dimming position;

Figure 12 is a similar view to Figure 11 with the switch plunger depressed so that the lights are bright;

Figure 13 is an elevation of the switch with the cover removed showing the plunger in its uppermost position and the contact fingers on the otherside from that side shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 14 is a similar view to that shown in Fi ure 13, showing the plunger depresse Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 is the floor board of a vehicle which is constructed to receive the supporting screws 2,

the lower ends of which are threaded through the cover plate 3, which has a supporting cup 1. A U-shaped sliding cover 5 closes the open sides of the supporting cup and has its top resting on top of the cover plate 3, an aperture 6 being provided in the sliding cover 5 to permit of the passage of the stem 7, which carries the foot button 8 on the upper end thereof. This button is detachable and the stem itself is adapted to be extended in sections.

The supporting cup 41 carries on its base a plate of insulating material 9 which is provided with depressed grooves 10 for receiving the flat base 11 of the several contact fingers. These bases of the contact fingers are limited in their inward position by a square portion 12 in the center of which is a plunger aperture 13. 14 is the base plate. The bases of the spring fingers are held in osition by the screws 15 which constitute t e terminal screws which carry on their outside ends below the supporting cup the usual washers 16, nuts 17 and locking washers 18 for clamping the cables thereto. Surrounding the stem 7 is a helical spring 19, one end of which rests on the cup 1 while the other end abuts against the insulated plunger 20, which carries a plurality of segmental contact rings 21, 23 and 25 disposed at different elevations and on different'portions of the periphery of this insulated plunger 20.

As will be seen in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, the contact fingers 22 and 22 both engage the segmental contact ring 23 when that ring and the plunger are in their uppermost position. The insulated plunger with its contact rings is caused to move downwardly by the foot of the operator and is 23 extends in the other direction around to the other side of the insulated plunger 'The contact ring 23 is slotted to receive the contact finger 22 which always remains in engagement with it. 'Upon thedepression of the insulated plunger 20, as in F igure 5, it will be noted that the contact ring 23 remains in engagement with. the finger. 22*, but becomes dis-engaged trom the im- .ger 22.. [The finger 22 engages the seg-' mental contact ring 25. This segmental ring 25 extends around the other side of the insulated plunger 20 where it is adapted to engage with a contact finger 26 when the plunger is depressed. The segmental ring where it is adapted to engage with the contact finger 27 when the plunger is depressed.

When the insulated plunger 20 is in its elevated position, as in Figure 13, showing its other side of the switch, the contact ring 21 is in engagement with the fingers 26 and 27 and, in Figure 14, it is dis-engaged but the depression of'the plunger has connected with fingers 26 and 27 the rings 25 and 23 respectively, so that the fingers 26 and 22 are both in engagement with the ring when the plunger is depressed and fingers 27and 22 are in engagement with the ring 23 when the plunger is depressed.

Referring to the electrical diagram, 29 is.

a ground for the wire 30 which is connected to a battery 31. This battery is connected by the wire 32 to the switch terminal 33 on which is pivoted a switch arm 34 adapted to engage with the contact 35. This con tact is connected by the wire 36 to the spring finger of the switch, designated 22,

in the position shown. This finger is connected by the contact ring 23 to the contact finger22, which is, in turn, connected by the wire 37' which, in turn, is connected to the wire 38' and is connected to the bright lamp 39. On its other side, it is connected by the wire 40 to the otherbright lamp 41.

Each of the lamps is grounded by the grounds 42 and43. i

The other side of the circuit is provided with a contact 44 from which leads a wire 45 to the contact finger 26. Theother contact finger 27 is connected by a wire 46 to the small or dim lamps 47. In these diagrams the heavy lines indicate the contact rings. r

Thus,flin Figure 9, the ground 29, wire.

30, battery 31, wire 32, terminal 33, switch arm34, contact 35,wire 36, contact finger 22 contact ring 23, contact finger 22, wire 37, wires 38 and 40, bright lamps 39 and a 41 and grounds 42 and 43' are in circuit.

In. Figure 10, the lights are-dim because the circuit consists of the ground29, wire 30, battery 31,'w ire 32, terminal 33, switch arm 34, contact 35, wire 36, contact finger 22?, contact ring 23, contact finger 27, wire 46, dim lamps 47 and grounds 42 and 43.

In Figure 11, which light-s are normally dim, the circuit consists of ground 29, wire 30, battery 31,'wire 32, terminal 33, switch arm 34, contact 44, wire 45, contact finger 26, contact ring 21, contact finger 27 wire 46, lamps 47 and grounds 42 and 43. In Figure 12, the circuit consists of ground 29, wire 30, battery 31, wire 32, terminal 33, switch arm 34, contact 44, wire 45, Contact finger 26, contact ring25, contact finger 22, wire 37, wires 38' and 40 to lamps 39 and 41 and grounds 42 and 43.

It will be obvious that if the operator throws his switch existing on the car for a greater distance than the one out offocus.

Such terms as bright and dim will be so understood in the claims. 7

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such'inodifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

'Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, an electrical circuit consisting of a source of current, a plurality of filaments, a portion of which are adapted of the foot i to be bright and a portion of whichare adapted to be dim, a ground for said source of current and a groundfor said filaments and a pair ofswitches located in said circuit, one of which is adapted to connect the source of current either to the bright filaments or the dim filaments, and the other of which switches is adapted when it is actuated, to-reverse the connection of the source of current to the respective filaments without disturbing the first'mentioned switch,

whereby if the first mentioned switch con-' nects the bright filaments, the actuation of the second switch will disconnect the bright filaments andconnect the dim filaments, and if the first switch connects the dim filaments to the source'rof current, thesecond switch will, upon being actuated, connect the bright V filamentand disconnect the dim filament.

2. In combination, a source of current, a

switch, a first and second operativeposition foot switch, bright bulbs and dim bulbs, means for energlzi'ng" the bright bulbs first and second operative position hand through the hand-operated switch while it is in the first position and through the foot switch while it is in the first position, and means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the first position and through the foot switch while it is in the second position.

3. In combination, a source of current, a first and second operative position hand switch, a first and second operative position foot switch, bright bulbs and dim bulbs, means for energizing the bright bulbs through the hand switch while it is in the second position and through the foot switch while it is in the second position, and means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the second position and through the foot switch while it is in the first position.

4:. In combination, a source of current, a first and second position hand switch, a first and second position foot switch, bright bulbs and dim bulbs, means for energizing the bright bulbs through the hand switch while it is in the first position, and through the foot switch while it is in the first position, and means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the second position and through the foot switch while it is in the first position.

5. In combination, a source of current, a

first and second position hand switch, a first and second position foot switch, bright bulbs and dim bulbs, means for energizing the bright bulbs through the hand switch while it is in the second position and through the foot switch while it is in the second position, and means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the first position and through the foot switch while it is in the second position.

6. In combination, a source of current, a first and second position hand switch, a first and second position foot switch, means for energizing the bright bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the first position and through the foot switch while it is in the first position, means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch while it is in the second position and through the foot switch while it is in the first position, means for energizing the dim bulbs from the source through the hand switch when it is in the first position and through the foot switch while it is in the second position, and means for energizing the bright bulbs from the source through the hand switch when it is in the second position and through the foot switch when it is in the second position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM E. MGLAUGHLIN. 

